"OilMax has set up a team that's working on the Asian Oilfield acquisition," confirms a source. Last Friday (April 1) Garg was personally overseeing the preparation of Asian's bid for an Oil India seismic tender alongside Asian employees from its Gurgaon office.

Garg it seems is keen that Asian wins a high value job soon and has set his hopes on Oil India's tender to shoot 359-sq km 3D at the AA-ONN-2010/2 block in Assam's precarious Karbi-Anglong district, estimated to be worth between Rs100cr ($16m) and Rs150cr ($25m). Garg is also trying to revive Asian's Rs13cr ($2m) contract with Jubilant Energy to shoot 140.5-lkm 2D at the AA-ONN-2002/1 block in Tripura.

After winning the Jubilant job in September 2015, Asian mobilised crew and equipment last December but a shortage of funds prevented it from completing work. Now a joint team from OilMax and Asian are working to get the project on track and visited the block last week.

OilMax is also reviewing Asian Oilfield's Rs45cr ($7m) contract from ONGC to shoot 250-sq km 3D at the Baramura Bulge area in Tripura awarded in May 2015. Asian declared Force Majeure after mobilising crew and equipment because ONGC refused to issue a letter to facilitate permission to transport explosives to the site. Many feel Asian put itself in a difficult position with this contract by bidding too low. Not only is OilMax keen on reviving Asian's fortunes in India it's also enthusiastic about the company's potential to win overseas jobs. In November last year Asian announced it had completed a 100-sq km 3D job for Gazprom in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq. "Asian is pre-qualified to participate in tenders issued by oil majors in many countries," we hear. Post-acquisition Asian is expected to move its office from Gurgaon to the Mumbai office of Oilmax. "OilMax is also drawing up a list of Asian employees to be laid off," adds our source.

OilMax is also reviewing Asian Oilfield's Rs45cr ($7m) contract from ONGC to shoot 250-sq km 3D at the Baramura Bulge area in Tripura awarded in May 2015. Asian declared Force Majeure after mobilising crew and equipment because ONGC refused to issue a letter to facilitate permission to transport explosives to the site. Many feel Asian put itself in a difficult position with this contract by bidding too low. Not only is OilMax keen on reviving Asian's fortunes in India it's also enthusiastic about the company's potential to win overseas jobs. In November last year Asian announced it had completed a 100-sq km 3D job for Gazprom in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq. "Asian is pre-qualified to participate in tenders issued by oil majors in many countries," we hear. Post-acquisition Asian is expected to move its office from Gurgaon to the Mumbai office of Oilmax. "OilMax is also drawing up a list of Asian employees to be laid off," adds our source.